The Patriots had a swell of momentum after sacking Tyrod Taylor on a fourth-and-2 scramble deep inside New England territory. Shockingly, it was Tom Brady who deflated the Pats just three plays later.
Brady threw his first pick-six of the season when Jordan Poyer stepped in front of a quick slant to Kenny Britt, then pulled himself off the turf and into the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown return. It was the MVP candidate’s sixth interception in his last five games — and the first time he’s thrown an interception in five consecutive games since 2002.
What this means for the Patriots: It’s not good. New England has to take care of Buffalo and Miami these final two weeks to lock down homefield advantage in the AFC. Spotting a hungry Bills team seven points could be a fatal flaw. Fortunately, the mistake didn’t hinder Brady for long -- he came back to lead a 75-yard drive capped off with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski on his team’s ensuing drive.
That tied the game at 10-10.
What this means for the Bills: Buffalo needs all the help it can get to keep its playoff hopes alive. The Bills are battling the Ravens and Titans for the AFC’s two wild card spots this winter, and beating New England on the road would not only push them one step closer to ending a 17-plus year playoff drought, but also send a statement to the rest of the league. Getting those defensive points is huge — the Buffalo offense hasn’t found the end zone through the game’s first 28 minutes.